1. Field of Technology
This application relates generally to surgical retractors. More specifically, this application is directed to a minimally invasive surgical retractor and method of minimally invasive retraction that expand the field of vision.
2. Brief Description of Related Art
A muscle sparing approach in spinal surgery reduces tissue trauma, decreases incision size and improves outcome of the surgery. An important component of the muscle sparing approach is the development of a working channel along a desired trajectory to a site within a patient that requires surgical correction. Various refractors addressing this need exist in the field.
Refractors range from simple tubular retractors to complex retractors that include plural blades connected by multiple joints. An advantage associated with a simple tubular refractor is that the retractor can be quickly applied and repositioned within the patient. Another advantage of the simple tube retractor is that the retractor can be made out of a plastic that is radiolucent, producing low artifact on an x-ray. A disadvantage of the simple retractor is its retraction space in comparison to the space required for its insertion.
The benefit of a complex retractor is that the retractor's blades can be collapsed for insertion and can be diverged by the multiple joints to improve retraction space once within the patient. Such collapsibility requires the complex retractor to be manufactured out of thin and stiff material which is invariably a metal alloy. The metal alloy it is not radiolucent. Moreover, the manipulation of each individual blade via the multiple joints is cumbersome.